Portable lumber mill



Jan. 19, 1932. w, PRATT PORTABIJELUMBER MILL Filed April 2, 1931 5Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 19, 1932. A w. PRATT PORTABLE LUMBER MILL 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 2, 1951 1932. A. w. PRATT 1,842,114

PORTABLE LUMBER MILL Filed April 2, 1931 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 19,1932. A. w. PRATT PORTABLE LUMBERTQMILL Filed April 2. 1931 5Sheets-Sheet 4 Jan. 19, 1932. A, w, PRATT 1,842,114

PORTA BLE LUMBER MILL Filed April 2, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 g wmtot IIa4; H FI aiZ e 40 fmw% if mama" Jet; 19,

" "UNIT-ZEDSTATES" PATENT OFFICE 1 ALBERT W. PRATT, O F OPELIKA, ALABAMAPORTABLE" LUMBER MILL Application filed April 2,

This invention relates to a portable lumber mill and aims to provide aconstruction which is complete so that the apparatus may be moved fromone stand of timber to another, by means of a tractor, draft animals orin any desired way, without necessitating the disassembling andreassembling of a single part.

It is generally aimed to provide a means and construction whereby moreand better lumber may be manufactured with less power and labor. 1

It is further aimed to provide a novel construction which is exceedinglycompact, simple, durable and relatively inexpensive.

In addition it is aimed to provide aconstruction having a frameon'whicha log is adapted to be held and relatively to which a saw carriage isbodily movable, novel means being provided to control the direction ofmovement of the saw carriage and also to cause the turning of a log.

will become apparentfrom a consideration of the description followingtaken in connec tion with accompanying drawings illustrating anoperative embodiment.

In saiddrawingsz Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus, Figure 2 is aside elevation thereof, Figure 3 is an enla'rged side elevation of oneend of the apparatus Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on theline 4-4. of Figure Figure 5 isea detail sectional view taken on theline 5-5 of Figure 6.

parts of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view taken on the line T-7 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a sectional detail line 88 of Figure l,

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 99 of Figure 8, and

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on the line l0-1(l of Figure 9. y

Referring specifically to thc drawings. the apparatus comprises a mainframe generally designated 19 having axles 11 connected thercto which inturn have ground wheels 12 journaled thereon. At the front, a suitablehitch- Figure 6 is an enlarged plan view of the,

taken on the :20, in Figures 8 to 10, The more specific objects andadvantages responding torthrlfmvered or 1931. Serial No. 527,340;

ing connection is provided at 13 so that the apparatus may be attachedto a tractor, draft animal or any suitable source of power to move itfrom one stand of lumber to another.

The frame 10 is of any suitable skeleton form, for instance havingparallel longitudinal side beams 14 and transverse beams 15 connectingthem together.

Suitably connected to the frame 10, and in laterally oifset relation tothe side beams 14, are log supporting head blocks 16, forming part ofmechanism generally designated 17, adapted to rigidly hold a log such as18, during sawing, and which mechanism is conventionally shown. The samecomprises, however, a log turning bar 19, normally located in the fullline position of Figure 7 but movable to the dotted line position in thea same figure, while turning the log. Such bar 19 is made from a strapof material as at whose free ends are pivoted on a rod 21 carried by amounting frame 22, pivoted at 23 to the framework 10; The bar 19 hasbarbs 24 to engage the logs and the same are urged toward the log,

, through the expansion of a spring 25 coach the bar 19 and lug 27 ofthe that the frame 22 may to the dotted line posiing with a rod 26connected to slidably mounted through a frame 22. In order be swungupwardly tion of Figure 7 in order that the bar 19 may turn the log 18,a draw cable 27 is fastened at 28 to frame 22 and is trained overvarious direction pulleys 29 on the framework 10, first extendingtransversely of the mechanism 17 and then extendinglongitudinally andcentrally of the frame 10 toward the left hand end thereof where it isfastened to a slide block 30 carrying a hook 31. Block 30 is grooved at32 on opposite sides thereof so as to receive guide and mounting bars 33suitably-fastened to the framework 10. Such block 30 is at its righthand limit of movemeut as shown in; Figure 6 for example,,,cor normalposition of the turning baras shown in-Figure 7.

A saw carriage generally designated 35 is movable longitudinally of theframe 10. Such carriage comprises a body 36. having axles 37 on whichwheels 38 and 39 are journaled. The wheels 38 are peripherally groovedso as to fit track members 40 fastened on top of one of the side bars 14while the wheels 39 have fiat peripheries so as to travel along theother side bar 14.

On the body 36, a prime mover or power plant of any suitableconstruction, for instance an internal combustion motor such as is usedon an automobile. The propeller shaft 42 is driven by the power plant,having a flywheel 43 thereon. Shaft 42. through the medium of gearing 43located within a casing 44, drives a transverse shaft 45 which isjournaled in suitable bearings 46 on the body 36. On shaft 45, asuitable saw 47 is detachably mounted.

At the other end of shaft 45. a drive pulley 48 is keyed.

In order to effect positive movement of the saw carriage 35,longitudinally of the frame 10, a chain or other flexible element 49extends the full length of the frame, having its opposite ends connectedto posts 50 on such frame.

A pair of transverse shafts 51 and 52 are suitably journaled on parts ofthe body 36 as at 53 and 54, each shaft including a universal joint at55. Shaft 51 has a drive member 56 thereon and shaft 52 has a drivemember 57 thereon. Keyed on the shaft 51 is a sprocket wheel 58 while asprocket wheel 59 is keyed on the shaft 52. Such sprocket wheels aretraversed by the chain 49. In order to properly hold the chain inposition, the same also passes over guide sprockets at 60 and 61,suitably mounted on the carriage body 36. The driving of shaft 52 isadapted to move the saw carriage 35 to the right for a sawing operationwhile the movement of the shaft 51 is adapted to move the saw carriageto the left or return it to normal position. Since the latter movementshould be faster than the former, the sprocket wheel 58 is larger thanthat shown at 59 to afford such movement.

Normally the drive wheels 56 and 57 are disengaged from the pulley 48.In order to arrange them selectively in driving engagement with suchpulley, each is journaled in a hearing as at 62 and 63 carried by ashifting bar or member 64. Such member 64 is suspended by a link 65pivoted to the frame 36 at 66 and to the be r 64 at 67. A manuallyoperated lever for shifting the bar 64 is provided at 68, being pivotedat 69 on the body 36 and at 70 to the bar 64. Thus it will be seen thatwith the prime mover 41 in motion, when the lever 68 is moved to theright, the drive member 57 will he moved into contact with the pulley48, whereby the parts will operate so that the saw mill carriage 35 willpositively move to the right and the saw 47 thus engaged with the log 18to saw the same.

For the return movement. the lever 68 is shifted to the left. whichmoves drive wheel 57 out of contact with pulley 48 and places drivewheel 56 in contact therewith, thus causing reverse movement of theparts and restoration of the carriage 35 to normal position, by movementto the left.

One or more hold-down devices are provided to prevent disengagement ofthe saw carriage 35 from the frame 10, for instance as shown in Figures3, 5 and 6. The holddown comprises a vertically disposed rod 71 having aroller 72 journaled on its lower end and engaging the under surface of aflange 73 on one of the side members 14. The rod 71 is slidably mountedin one element of the body 36 and above the same is engaged by anexpansive spring 74, also coacting with a nut 7 5 thereon, thus urgingthe rod 71 upwardly and maintaining the roller 7 2 in engagement withthe flange 73.

The log 18 is adapted to be turned through the return movement of thesaw carriage 35 to initial position. To this end, a rock shaft 76 isjournaled in bearings 77 at the left hand end of the body 36 of thecarriage 35. The shaft 76 has a loop 78 which may be arranged so as toengage the hook 331 as the carriage returns to initial position. Shaft76 has a crank 79 at one end thereof, to which a rod 80 is pivoted andwhich rod 80 is also pivoted at 81, to a hand lever 82. pivoted at 83 onthe body 36 and having a locking mechanism 84 coacting with a toothedsegment 85 mounted on such body 36.

Normally, the loop 78 is elevated so that movement of the saw carriage35 will not be effected by the hook 31 or vice versa. However, when thelog is to be turned, the opera tor moves the lever 82 so as to arrangethe loop 78 in a position for engagement with the hook 31. When the loop78 is engaged with the hook 31. the movement of the carriage 35. movesthe block 30 to the left therewith from the full to the dotted lineposition shown in Figure 3. thereby exerting a pull on the cable 27causing elevating and log-turn" ing movement of the arm 19.

As previously stated, the log holding and turning mechanism is ofconventional form and due provision is made for moving the log closer tothe saw, as becomes necessary incidental to sawing.

In order to remove saw dust, a duct is provided at 90, having itsentrance adjacent the saw, and leading to a casing 91 suitably supportedon the body 36, in which a suction fan 92 operates. such fan serving todraw in the saw dust and discharge it from the casting 91. at anysuitable point and to any desired place of deposit. The fan 92 ismounted on a shaft 93, driven by a belt 94, for example, from a pulley95, keyed on the shaft 45.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spiritand scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention 1. A carriage of the class described incombination with a track over which the sameis movable, a flexibleelement in anchored relation to the track, driving means on thecarriage, a plurality of shafts having gear members thereon inengagement with said flexible element, said gear members being in offsetrelation to divert the chain from a tangential to a partly peripheralcourse around each gear member, and means whereby either of said shaftsmay be moved into drivin relation with said driving means according tothe direction of movement desired for the carriage.

2. A carriage of the class described in combination with a track overwhich the same is movable, a flexible element in anchored relation tothe track, driving means on the car riage, a plurality of shafts havinggear members thereon in engagement with said flexible element, said gearmembers being in offset relation to divert the chain from a tangentialto a partly peripheral course around each gear member, means wherebyeither of said shafts may be moved into driving relation with saiddriving means according to the direction of movement desired for thecarriage, said shafts having universal joints therein, a shifting memberin journaled relation with the shafts, and means operable to shift saidmember.

3. A carriage of the class described in combination with a track overwhich the same is movable, a flexible element in anchored rela tion tothe track, driving means on the carriage, a plurality of shafts havinggear members thereon in engagement with said flexible element, said gearmembers being in oflset relation to divert the chain from a tangentialto a partly peripheral course around each gear member, means wherebyeither of said shafts may be moved into driving relation with saiddriving means according to the direction of movement desired for thecarriage, said shafts having universal joints therein, a shifting memberin journaled relation with the shafts, means operable to shift saidmember, comprising a lever pivoted to the carriage and to said shiftingmember, and driving members on said shafts for direct engagement withsaid driving means.

4:. A carriage of the class described in combination with a track overwhich the same is movable, a flexible element in anchored relation tothe track, driving means on the carriage, a plurality of shafts havinggear members thereon in engagement with said flexible element, said gearmembers being in ofl'set relation to divert the chain from a tangentialto a partly peripheral course around each gear member. means wherebyeither of said shafts may be moved into driving relation with saiddriving means according to the direction of movement desired for thecarriage, said shafts having universal joints therein, a shifting memberin journaled relation with the shafts, means operable to shift saidmember, said driving means having a transverse

